The scale-up of DFID’s support to fragile states

The government has committed to spend 30% of UK aid in fragile states by 2014-15. This report examines the scale-up process.

Score: Amber/Red
  1. Status: Completed
  2. Published: 12 February 2015
  3. Type: Other
  4. Subject: Fragile states
  5. Assessment: Amber/Red
  6. Location: Democratic Republic of Congo, Nepal, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Yemen
  7. Lead commissioner: Mark Foster

Summary

One-third of people living in poverty currently live in fragile states. By 2018 that share is likely to be a half and by 2030 nearly two-thirds. Of the seven countries unlikely to meet any Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the 2015 deadline, six are fragile states; the eight most aid dependent countries in the world are fragile states.

The UK government has committed to spending 30% of Official Development Assistance (ODA) in fragile states by 2014-15: an increase from £1.8 billion of bilateral ODA alone (2011-12) to £3.4 billion (2014-15).

This review assesses how well the Department for International Development (DFID) – which contributes the majority of this funding – has implemented this commitment and whether the resulting increased expenditure in fragile states is achieving impact for intended beneficiaries.

Overall, we awarded an amber-red score and made five recommendations.

Timeline

Review publication

Published 12 February 2015

Government response

Published 5 March 2015

ICAI follow-up

Published 30 June 2016